


The Hidden Baozi

by Akira_Jikan



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Fantasy, Fluff and Smut, Friendship, M/M, Multi, Mystery, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-12-30
Updated: 2017-01-22
Packaged: 2018-09-13 07:46:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,082
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9113350
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Akira_Jikan/pseuds/Akira_Jikan
Summary: At the prestigious, private SM Entertainment Institution, mystery englufs the few centuries old building. Many students are apart of the high-class status; however, there are times where students from the middle-class and low-class statuses are able to attend the school. One day, a student transfers into the institute for the first time in centuries and slowly secrets began to reveal themselves. How much longer before the world is shown the truth of the Institute? What was the real purpose of the transferee?





	1. Prologue: The Beginning

**Author's Note:**

> Modern AU! Student AU! Magic/fantasy AU! Mystery, romance, violence, and magic. There would be hints of different pairings in this, although the main focus would be on Xiumin. There is no endgame yet, but maybe once the story gets closer to it's end; I will consider the comments of those who want a certain endgame couple.  
> This fic has also been posted on AFF.

**_The air was still and no noise can be heard._ ** **_The trees stayed still, as if there was no wind passing through the woods. Not even the animals were out in the darkened night. A small rustle can be heard, before a white figure passed by quickly._ **

**_The figure ran quickly, as if there was nothing that can cease it from moving towards its destination. Suddenly, the figure fell, having tripped on a large piece of root from a tree. The male immediately started to crawl; however, his foot was slightly twisted._ **

**_A small groan escaped his mouth, as he tried to stand up. Rustling can be heard nearby him, causing the male to move quicker. He was able to stand up; although, there was difficulty in moving as he limped forward._ **

**_Fear crept inside him, as the rustling noise began to creep closer to him. Before he can get any further, a small gasp escaped his mouth as he flew to the left. He hit the ground with a thud, slightly rolling a little. A soft groan left the male’s lips as he struggled to move; it was hard for him to breathe after having been hit._ **

**_The sound of a twig breaking brought the male out of his scrambled mind, leading him to start hyperventilate. He turned, so that he was laying on his back and tried to sit up. His eyes began to scan around the area around him; finally noticing that he was in a little clearing with the moonlight shining down on him._ **

**_He immediately noticed a slightly thick, long tree branch on the ground nearby him. Trying to move swiftly and quietly, he was able to grab on the branch. His hands wrapped around the branch tightly, not wanting to lose it. His breathing got a little heavier, as he stood up. His body swayed a little, his footsteps a little uneven._ **

**_“Come out! I dare you to!” He called out, as he glared at the area around him. He turned to the left when he heard rustling._ **

**_He twisted his body fully around, almost tripping himself, when he heard something behind him. His wide, fear-filled eyes was glancing all around the area, making sure to not leave anyplace unseen._ **

**_He swallowed slightly, as he stilled. In front of him, was glowing gold-colored eyes staring at him through the darkness of the woods. His breathing started to get faster, as he took a hesitant step back. Fear filled his body, as he tried to move more, but it was as if his body was frozen._ **

**_The figure started to move forward, towards the male. However, in a blink of an eye, the figure was standing in front of the male, staring down at him._ **

**_A gasp escaped the short male, but before anything can happen, the figure lunged at him._ **

**_“NOOOOOOO-“_ **

“NOOOOOOOOOO-“

A male sat up immediately in his bed, as sweat trickled down on his body. The male gasped out, as he clutched onto his neck and his chest.

“It’s just a dream, just a dream” he thought to himself.

He moved his legs closer to his family, as he wrapped his arms around them. He hid his face between his knees, as he tried to calm himself.

“I haven’t had that dream in a long time,” he thought, despair filling his heart.

Groaning slightly, he turned to his nightstand to check what the time is. 4:00 a.m. lit up on his alarm clock, making the male lay back down in a huff. It was silent for a little while, before he decided it was best to start getting ready. He got out of bed and walked to his closet. Picking out his uniform for the new school he will be attending, he laid it on his bed, making sure there was no wrinkles.

Unlike many teenage boys his age, the male liked to clean and organize. It was almost to the point that some might suspect that he has OCD.

He went inside the bathroom, that was connected to his bedroom, and looked at himself in the mirror. Pale skin, dark brown eyes, orangish-brown hair, mono-lid cat-liked eyes, and chubby cheeks stared back at the male. There was a light shade of dark bags underneath the male’s eyes, displaying that the male has trouble sleeping lately. Tired of looking at himself, he went inside the shower to start getting ready.

After 40 minutes in the shower, mostly just staring into space and 10 minutes to get ready, the time displayed 6:20 a.m. The male walked downstairs and into the dining room, already seeing his parents sitting at the table.

“Morning, umma, appa,” He said, smiling brightly at them. However, it didn’t reach his eyes, since he would be seeing them a lot less after today. The two smiled sadly at him, not wanting to see their son leave them.

“Morning, sweetheart. We already have your food set up for you,” his mother said, as she pointed at the plate across from hers. It was filled with his favorite food.

The teen’s eyes softened, as he moved to sit at his chair. He began to eat and silence enveloped the family, as they ate breakfast together.The parents wanted to ask the male if he was alright, since they heard his scream earlier, but knew it will be futile.

“It was nice of your new principal to let you stay with us one last time, before you start staying at the dorms over there,” his father said, smiling sadly down at his plate.

It was true what the teen’s father said. The male had already placed all of his belongings in the dorm that he will be staying at on Saturday, so that he can spend the Sunday with his family. It was now Monday and he will be starting at the new school. The only thing he has that he needs is his backpack that has all of his school equipment.

“I’ll make sure to call you when I can and see you during the weekends,” he said, smiling at his parents. Before, either one of his parents can say anything, footsteps started going down the stairs. Soon revealing a girl, as she walked towards the last chair open.

“Good morning, everyone,” she said, as she smiled at all of them. She looked at her older brother and her gaze softened a little, her smile turned a little sad.

“Hey, don’t look like that. I’ll still visit. How can I ever forget to because then I wouldn’t be able to see my favorite person in the world,” The male said, as he teased his little sister. She giggled lightly and her smile turned a little brighter.

“You better not forget, oppa! Or you will get it,” she teased back.

The family continued with their breakfast, until it was time for the male to leave. The family decided it was best to drive the male to the school, so that they can have a few more moments to spend time with him.

They reached the school at 7:10a.m. however it didn’t start until 8:00a.m. The family said their goodbyes, as well as a few other words to each other, before leaving the male.

The male turned to look at the gates of the school, a sense of dread forming at the pit of his stomach. He took a deep breath, before walking forward. Determination filled the male, as he gripped tightly onto the strap of his backpack.

“You can do this, Kim Minseok,” he muttered to himself, his eyes blazing with passion to show the school who he is.

“ **I will show those who look down upon me to never mess with me**.”


	2. Chapter 1: The New Student

The 5 feet 8-inch male entered the school, his eyes looking around the area curiously. He had known that the school was going to be big, but not this big.

“Umma was right. I should’ve researched the school a little more,” he thought, his lips forming into a pout.

Minseok began to recall all the information he had gathered about the school, as he walked towards the administration office for his schedule and to speak to the principal.

_S.M. Entertainment Institute. A prestigious, private Institute that is one of those top-notch academies that everyone wants to attend. It has been around for centuries and there isn’t much information about the school itself. However, the only way to enter this academy was to pass a certain trial that is given to everyone once they turn 10. If they pass the trial, they will be allowed to attend the institute on the year that the child turns 12. Majority that has passed the trial are people that come from rich families, but there are people that come from the middle-class and low-class._

_The trial has different sets, so each person that takes it has a different trial. The trial was around since the very beginning, when the school was first built. No one really questioned about the trial and it became a law that once someone reaches the age of 10, they must take the trial. If one refuses to take the trial, then there will be consequences._

_Because of these, there are many mysterious that surrounds the Institute. Not even the students that has graduated speak about their experiences at the school, only about their achievements. It’s also suspicious how it’s a requirement for students to live in the dorms there; the school board can’t even change the rule for the students that don’t want to live in the dorms._

Minseok stopped right in front the administration door, knocking on it lightly. A soft “come in,” called out. He opened the door and entered, smiling softly at the lady.

“Good Morning,” he said, as he bowed, before walking closer.

She smiled back at him and started taking out a few papers. “Good Morning,” she replied, as she glanced at him. Soon, she stopped shuffling the papers and said, “Kim Minseok, age 17. The new student?”

Minseok nodded his head, taking the paper and handbook from her. “Yes, that’s me.”

“Alright, well you are all set for today. Mr. Kim would like to see you, before you head to your class. Do you remember where the principal’s office is?” she asked, giving him a gentle smile.

He nodded his head and soon, the two are saying their good-byes. He left the office and began heading to the principal office. He noticed that there were more students in the hallways, then when he had entered the school.

Some students glanced at him and started whispering, this lead to Minseok speeding up. He hated it when people talked about him behind his back. It made his anxiety increase and heighten his insecurities.

Finally, reaching the principal office, he knocked on the door. He shuffled his feet a little, as he waited for the principal to call on him.

“Enter!” A voice bellowed through the door.

Minseok opened the door and entered the room, making sure to close the door behind him. He bowed at the male sitting in the office chair behind the big wooden desk.

_Kim Young Min, the principal of S.M. Entertainment Institute. He became the new principal around seven years ago. No one really knew what happened or why the old principal left, but there have been many rumors about the current one. Even so, there was no proof that has been presented so far by anyone, which has led to the elder male to keep his job._

Even so, Minseok didn’t want to believe the rumors because they are just rumors. Rather, the principal has been kind to him so far and he prefers to see the good in people. However, Minseok has always been naïve and ignorant to many things in life.

“Good Morning, Mr. Kim,” he said, before he stood up straight again.

Mr. Kim smiled pleasantly at him, before motioning to the chairs in front of his desk. “Please sit, Minseok,” he said.

The short male nodded, before sitting in the chair on the left. He was slightly wondering why the principal had asked for him before school started, but decided to wait.

“You’re most likely wondering why I have asked for you right now,” Kim Young Min began and before he can continue, there was another knock at the door. He smiled brightly, before calling out, “Come in!”

A rather tall male entered the room, wearing the school uniform. Minseok was a little surprised, seeing another student enter the room and started to get a little nervous. Although, he wasn’t the only one surprised because the newcomer’s eyes widened considerably at seeing the small, but cute male. The sitting male had a baby face, but the seriousness on his face was what got Suho. 

“Ah, come closer. Why don’t you sit down, Suho?” The principal said, getting the attention of the two students in front of him.

Suho nodded his head and went to sit on the open chair, sitting elegantly on the chair. “May I ask what I am here for?” he asked, curiously. The principal rarely called on him, only when he had to report about student behaviors and activities once a month.

“Ah, I was actually about to tell Minseok, here, about it. Minseok, meet Kim Junmyeon, the student body president. Suho, meet Kim Minseok, the new student” the elder man said, introducing the two to each other.

The two bowed to each other and Suho said, “Suho is my nickname. You can call me that as well.”

Minseok smiled and replied, “You can call me Xiumin, as well. That’s what my friends in China called me.”

The two looked back at the principal, the elder was just watching the two interact. “Now, that you two have been introduced. Suho, will be showing you around. He will also be the one to take you to your classes,” he stated.

The two nodded their heads. “Now, then you two better be off. You only have a few minutes left before class starts,” he said, as he shooed the two out of his office.

The two said their goodbyes to the principal, as they left the room. “Ah, Xiumin-sii, may I see your schedule?” Suho asked.

Minseok nodded his head and gave his schedule to the taller male. “Suho-sii, what’s your age?” he asked curiously.

“May 22, 1991 and yours?” Suho asked, giving the paper back.

Xiumin made a surprised noise, before replying, “March 26, 1990. That makes me your hyung.” A small smile appeared on the short male’s face, making him look even younger than he really was.

Suho’s eyes widened, obviously shock at that statement. “I can’t believe that. You don’t look older than me. I thought you were at least two years younger than me. But, your smile does make you look younger,” he said.

A small blush appeared on Xiumin’s cheeks, before he turned his head away. “J-just call me hyung. Now, let’s go. I don’t want to be late,” he said, as he tried to avoid the topic of his looks.

Suho chuckled softly, before heading towards Xiumin’s first period. “Your first period is homeroom and you’re in luck. Two of my friends share that class, their name is Lu Han and Wu Yifan. They’re Chinese,” he said.

Xiumin perked up a little at that information. Even though he was born and raised in South Korea, he had lived majority of his life in China. Although, he only had a few close friends when he lived in China and he was fine with that. He has always preferred people that was honest to him.

“I’ll be honest. I’m a little nervous. I know that it’s strange for someone to enter this Institute in the middle of the school year,” Minseok said, as he gave the other a nervous smile.

Suho’s eyes softened and he patted Minseok’s shoulder lightly. “It’s okay to be nervous. You have a point there, but you have me and my friends. We’ll help you around, so don’t worry,” the male said, trying to assure the smaller male.

Minseok gave Suho a smile that showed how appreciated he felt for the tall male. “Thank you,” he said, softly.

Soon, the two stopped in front of a classroom and opened the door. The teacher was already in the room and there were a few students sitting at their chairs. The two walked to the teacher, stopping in front of the desk.

The teacher looked up and stood up. “Ah, you must be the new student. I’m Kim Heechul, your homeroom teacher,” he said.

The two bowed to him, after the other bowed to them. “Heechul-hyung, this is Kim Minseok, or otherwise known as Xiumin,” Suho said, introducing the two.

Xiumin gave a small smile at the teacher and said, “Nice to meet you, Mr. Kim.”

Heechul gave a small laugh and grinned brightly at the short teenager. “You can call me Heechul-hyung,” he said. “Class will be starting in a minute, why don’t you stay here with me. Suho, you can start heading to class,” he said.

Suho nodded his head and patted Xiumin’s head lightly, before walking away. He made sure to remind the shorter one that he will be walking him to his next class before he left. Xiumin waved to the male, before looking back at the teacher.

“Thank you, Heechul-hyung, for letting me join your class this late,” Xiumin said, as he bowed lightly.

The older man chuckled and patted Xiumin’s shoulder, a little roughly. “It’s fine. My, my, aren’t you such a cute student and a polite one too. I’m sure we’ll get a long just fine,” he said, giving thumbs up to the male.

Before, Xiumin can reply, the bell rang. Xiumin moved so that he was standing by the teacher and watched as more students entered the room. A little while later, the late bell rang and students began to pull out their notebooks and pencils. However, some students were watching Xiumin and whispering about the male.

“Everyone, I would like you to meet the new student,” Heechul said, giving Xiumin a slight pat on the back.

“Good Morning, everyone. My name is Kim Minseok, but you can also call me Xiumin. Please take care of me,” he said, as he smiled slightly at everyone before bowing.


	3. Chapter 2: The First Day

Whispers began to spread around the room, as they stared at the new student. It was completely unheard of for a student to enter the Institute after the first year. Everyone has always entered the school during their first year, never in any other year. There has never been any transfer students or new students.

Before any of them can ask why the short male entered the school late, the teacher began to speak.

“Xiumin, you can sit behind LuHan,” Heechul said, as he pointed at a Chinese male. A light skinned arm raised up, helping Xiumin see where to go.

Xiumin walked to his seat, nodding politely at the male. He placed his bag down and took out his notebook and pencil.

When he looked up, he was slightly surprised to see LuHan looking at him. “Hey, nice to meet you, I’m LuHan,” the male said, offering a small smile.

The short male smiled back and replied, “Nice to meet you too.”

Soon, the two began to pay attention to the lesson being taught. However, Xiumin stopped paying attention because he had already learned the lesson. He began to make small doodles on his notebook, listening to Heechul occasionally, to know where they are in the lesson.

“Now, then. Since, we finished a little early. I will let you guys have the last ten minutes of class. Don’t forget to do your homework tonight,” the male said, before he went to sit at his desk.

Soon, students stood up and headed to their friends. LuHan turned around to speak to Xiumin, smiling brightly. “How do you like the school so far, Xiumin?” he asked, curiously.

Xiumin tilted his head slightly and hummed in thought. “Well, it’s nice. So far, it just feels like a regular school,” he said.

“Wait until you finish the first day, then your answer will change,” a deep voice said, surprising the short male. He flinched slightly, before turning to the right to see a tall male. The male had pulled a chair to their table, when Xiumin was thinking on how to answer LuHan’s question.

The male chuckled, a slight smile appearing on his face. “I’m Wu Yifan, but everyone calls me Kris,” the unknown male said, before bowing.

Xiumin bowed back and smiled politely. “Xiumin. Ah, you’re the two that Suho spoke about. He said that two of his Chinese friends had the same homeroom as me,” he said, once he recognized where he heard both of their names before.

The two chuckled, before offering the new student a smile. “Yes, that’s us. We’re also part of the student council. Kris is the 2nd in command, right after Suho. There’s a total of eleven of us, but we’ve been split up in two groups,” LuHan explained.

Xiumin nodded his head, listening to every word the two told him. “Will I have to join some club or sports?” he asked, tilting his head.

The two nodded and Kris said, “It’s a requirement.”

Xiumin slightly puffed out his cheeks, while he thought of a club or sport that he could join. Without his notice, LuHan silently cooed at the face the short male was making, while Kris’s gaze softened.

“Hey, you don’t have to think about it now. You have the rest of the week, Baozi,” LuHan said, as he patted the male’s shoulder softly.

“Baozi?” Xiumin said, confusion appearing on his face.

LuHan nodded his head and explained,” Yes. The way your cheeks puffed out right now reminds me of Baozi’s. Especially how pale and soft your skin looks.” Kris muttered a small agreement, having thought the same as the deer-like male.

Xiumin’s mouth formed into a small ‘o’ shape. Soon, a smile formed on his face, as he looked at the two. “I like it,” he said, with a grin.

The three continued to talk a little while longer before decided it was time to get their things ready. The bell rang while Xiumin was putting his bag on. The three left the classroom together, but saw Suho already waiting outside the door.

“Ready?” he asked, once he saw Xiumin. The short male nodded, before following the other to his 2nd period. The two waved at the other two, as they went the opposite direction.

“We have 2nd period together; which is advance algebra.” Suho stated. “Did you have fun in your homeroom?” he asked.

Xiumin nodded his head and gave the taller male a grin. “Yeah, LuHan and Kris are really nice,” he said.

Suho nodded his head and soon, the two arrived at their 2nd period. The two entered the room and Suho pulled Xiumin with him towards the seats. “We don’t have assigned seats in here,” the president explained, when the short male gave him a surprised look.

The two sat down and started taking out their supplies. “Hey, Suho. Who’s the new kid?” a voice suddenly asked, surprising Xiumin.

“This is Kim Minseok, or Xiumin. Xiumin, this is Zhang Yixing, or Lay. Do Kyungsoo, but we just call him D.O. Lastly, Kim Jongdae, or Chen,” Suho said, as he pointed to each of his friends.

Xiumin bowed at the three and gave a soft greeting, while the others bowed back. “Are they also part of the council like LuHan and Kris?” Xiumin suddenly asked.

“Yeah, we are,” Chen spoke, before Suho can reply to the new student.

Before the five can continue their conversation, the bell rang and the three still standing immediately took the seats surrounding the two.

Once the bell finished, the teacher began to speak, “Today, we have a new student in our class. Kim Minseok, can you please stand up and introduce yourself?”

Xiumin stood up and felt a little nervous when he felt everyone’s eyes on him. “Hello. My name is Kim Minseok, but please call me Xiumin instead. Please take care of me and thank you,” he said, bowing right after. He sat back down and the teacher began the lesson.

Xiumin’s right ear twitched, when he heard a few students whispering about him. He knew it was strange for him to be entering the school this late, but it didn’t give any of them the right to start making assumptions when no one asked him why.

 He decided it was best to just ignore them and pay attention to the lessons. Time passed and Suho took him to his 3rd period, where he met Baekhyun, Chanyeol, and Kai. Soon, he was in his 4th period, where he had Kai, Tao, and Sehun.

Once 4th period ended, the four and Suho walked to the cafeteria since it was lunch time now. They all grabbed their lunches and brought Xiumin to a large table. Xiumin decided to sit between to Suho and LuHan, giving a small smile to everyone.

“So, how was your classes, Baozi?” LuHan asked.

“It was..interesting?” Xiumin replied, although his answer sounded more like a question.

“Baozi?” Baekhyun asked, confusion appearing on his face.

Xiumin gave a small giggle, before replying, “LuHan gave me that nickname because he says my face reminds him of steamed buns/dumplings.”

A small “oohh.” noise appeared around the group, all of them can easily see why that nickname came to be.

“Oh, Xiumin-hyung. You have 5th period with all of us,” Suho suddenly said.

Baekhyun started to choke on his food, while a few others made a surprised noise. “Hyung?!” Chanyeol said, as he stared at Xiumin.

Xiumin nodded his head and said, “Yeah. I was born on March 26, 1990.” He glanced at Baekhyun and asked, “Are you okay now?” The young male nodded his head, as he patted his chest.

“Really? You look so young! I thought you were around Kai and Sehun’s age,” Chen stated.

“I don’t look that young. Wait, I don’t even know any of your ages or birthdays,” Xiumin said, pouting a little.

“April 20, 1990,” LuHan said, before nudging at Kris.

“November 6, 1990,” Kris stated.

Soon, everyone realized what the two were doing. “You already know mine,” Suho commented.

“October 7, 1991,” Lay responded.

“May 6, 1992,” Baekhyun

“September 21, 1992,” Chen

“November 27, 1992” Chanyeol

“January 12, 1993,” D.O.

“May 2, 1993,” Tao

“January 14, 1994,” Kai

“April 12, 1994,” Sehun

A small laugh escaped Xiumin’s lips, as he gave a gummy smile to everyone. “You’re all my dongsaeng,” he teased.

Throughout the rest of the lunch, the group continued to joke and mess around. The atmosphere was carefree and Xiumin felt at home with the others. It was surprising since it usually took a while for him to feel comfortable around new people, but this group of males had welcomed him with open arms. It was nice.

Sadly, lunch only lasted one hour and soon, the bell rang. The group quickly threw away the rest of their lunch and started to head to their 5th period.

“Hey, Xiumin-hyung. If we have to get in teams today at P.E. you should join my team,” Baekhyun said, as he wrapped an arm around the shorter male’s waist.

Xiumin was a little surprised at the touch, but welcomed it nonetheless. “Sure, I don’t mind,” he replied, as he wrapped an arm around Baekhyun’s shoulders.

Soon, all 12 reached the gym and headed into the boy’s locker room. Xiumin went to his locker number, he was given it when he was getting his dorm room key and etc. He unlocked the locker and pulled out his clothes, walking towards a nearby stall to change.

“You aren’t changing out here?!” Chanyeol called out, when he noticed the male walking by him.

Xiumin shook his head and replied, “No, I’ll change in one of the stalls. I’m not used to changing in front of people.” His cheeks were dusted in a light pink color, as he looked down at the ground. He didn’t want to tell them that he was insecure with his body, so he decided to just make an excuse.

Chanyeol nodded his head, before changing his clothes.

Soon, all twelve were in the gym with a few other male students. After Xiumin introduced himself, the gym teacher decided that they were going to play dodgeball. Small murmurs of happiness can be heard around the room because majority of the students didn’t want to do any physical workouts.

“Alright, everyone get into two teams,” the teacher announced.

Baekhyun quickly latched onto Xiumin, not wanting to be separated with the older male. In the end, the first team was Baekhyun, Minseok, Lay, Tao, Chanyeol, Chen, and four other students, while the second team was Kris, Suho, LuHan, Sehun, Kai, D.O., and four other students.

Once, everyone was on their team’s side and the balls were lined, the teacher blew his whistle. Students from both sides immediately ran towards the center to grab a ball; however, Xiumin decided to stay in the back.

Balls were thrown across the court, some people already getting hit. Xiumin carefully dodged a ball, before turning around to grab it. He swiftly ran forward and threw it, already having a target in mind. The ball hit a student of the opposite team on the shoulder, before bouncing off and hitting another member of the opposite team.

A surprise noise came from majority of the students because they didn’t see that coming. Xiumin’s gaze was different, it was indifferent and calculating. Soon, the male was running again and grabbed a ball on the ground, before throwing it towards Sehun. Luckily for Sehun, it missed, but it ended up hitting a student behind him.

Balls continued to be thrown around, until the only people on court were Xiumin, Lay, Chanyeol, D.O., LuHan, and Kai. Three people on each team.

Minseok had two balls in his hands, while he looked at who he should hit in the other team. Kai suddenly threw a ball and Minseok used the two balls in his hands to block it, kicking it lightly towards Chanyeol once it hit the ground. Chanyeol quickly picked up the ball and threw it towards LuHan, at the same time that Minseok threw one of the balls in his hand at LuHan.

LuHan dodged the ball Chanyeol threw, but didn’t see the one Minseok threw and got hit on the shoulder. He grunted at the impact, before walking to the sidelines. When Chanyeol threw the ball, D.O. had thrown a ball at the tall male, knocking the team out of the game. Meanwhile, Kai threw a ball at Minseok, the short teen saw the ball at the corner of his left eye and flinched. Instead of hitting him, the moment Minseok flinched, he had blocked the thrown ball with the ball in his hand.

During this time, Lay was able to get a ball and threw it at Kai, kicking the slightly dark skinned male out of the game. However, the Chinese teen was hit on his stomach by a ball D.O. threw.

“Final time! Xiumin vs D.O.” the teacher announced, as everyone speculated the match.

Tension rose, as the two stared at each other. Sweat rolled down on their skins, having played for almost the whole period. Xiumin unconsciously licked his bottom lip, causing D.O. to glance at his lips. Before anyone can do anything, the two threw the balls in their hands at each other. D.O. dodged one of the balls and grabbed a ball on the ground to block the other one. Meanwhile, Xiumin dodged both balls by falling back onto his back, bending his legs so that he kind of laid on his calves.

He sat up once both balls passed him and stood up, although he stumbled a little. D.O. took the chance to throw the ball at the uneven male and everyone in the audience held their breath.

_**BAM** _

The ball was held between Xiumin’s hands, the short teen caught the ball.

“Team One wins!” The teacher announced, as he blew the whistle to fully end the game.

Xiumin let out a small yelp, as he was suddenly picked up by Chanyeol and hugged tightly. Soon, the rest of his team joined the hug, while giving him praises. There was loud cheers from his team, but that didn’t stop Xiumin from noticing how upset the other team was.

Xiumin wiggled his way out of the team hug and ran towards D.O., engulfing the male in a hug. His arms wrapped around the slightly taller male’s shoulders, while D.O. had wrapped his arms around the new student’s waist. “I really enjoyed playing the game,” he whispered into D.O.’s ear, as he slightly tightened his hold.

A small smile formed on the male’s face at the sincere words. “Yeah, it was a great game,” he whispered back. The two soon broke away and everyone started to interact with each other. Some words were spoken about the game, while others were praising the other’s technique.

The teacher’s gaze softened when he looked at the new student, a small thought formed in his mind.

_Maybe he can bring everyone together._

“Alright, everyone. You have 20 minutes left. Go get ready for your next class,” he declared.

Everyone grabbed their things and went to the locker room to get ready. Xiumin got a few pats on the back or shoulder and some hair ruffles, as everyone went to the locker room. He smiled slightly, as he changed in one of the stalls.

Soon, Suho took him to his 6th period, which was also the last class of the day. He shared the class with D.O., LuHan, and Lay. The class passed by and soon, everyone was heading to their dorm room or heading for dinner. Xiumin decided that he wanted to go to his dorm to drop his stuff and change.

“We’ll walk you to your room, so that we know where it is,” Suho said, as everyone decided to do what Xiumin was doing. The short male nodded his head and gave a small smile to everyone.

The twelve walked to the dorm rooms, while having different type of conversations with each other. Laughs can be heard and some teasing as well.

“Well, this is my room,” Xiumin said, as he stopped in front of a room with the number ‘420’ on it.

“Eh?! This is your room?!” Baekhyun whined, as he gave a small pout.

Xiumin looked confused, as he tilted his head. “Yeah, why?”

“This is the only room that is a single. When the place was built a long time ago, the construction workers accidently made this room a single, yet the same room length as the other rooms,” SeHun explained, causing the short male to have a slight heart attack.

The maknae didn’t really speak the whole day, so it was a surprise for Xiumin. A few of them let out a few laughs and Chen patted Xiumin’s shoulder.

“Oh. Mr. Kim said that this was the only room available,” Xiumin said, a little unsure.

The eleven males glanced at each other, knowing that statement is a lie. There were rooms in different dorms that were open, yet the principal told Xiumin that there was none. An unsettling feeling enveloped the group, as Xiumin unlocked his room.

“Well, we better get going. We’ll meet you at the cafeteria?” LuHan asked, as he looked at the male.

Xiumin nodded his head and soon the group parted ways. The male locked his door and looked around his room. He had already organized his place and cleaned it when he was bringing his belongings. He placed his backpack in one of the corners of the room, before heading to his closet and grabbing his clothes. He placed them on the bed and grabbed a towel, before heading to the bathroom.

Once he was done taking a shower, Xiumin began to put his clothes on. Long sleeved, tan shirt and black sweatpants. He didn’t plan to go anywhere after dinner, instead he planned to head straight back to his room right after. After lightly gelling his hair, he placed on some socks and decided to wear a pair of black converse.

Once done, he grabbed his wallet, phone, and keys before heading out the room. As he walked to the cafeteria, he decided to check his phone for any messages. In the middle of reading a message from his mom, an arm wrapped around his shoulders, slightly surprising him.

“You should look where you are going,” the voice whispered into his ear. A small shiver went through the new student’s body at the husky voice and Xiumin turned to see Kris.

Xiumin gave a small smile and apologized to the male, while also thanking him. The two conversed for a while, as they walked to the cafeteria. Soon, they reached it and went into the line to grab food. Once, they got their food, the two went to their tables, where the others were at.

“Xiumin-hyung. What do you plan to do this weekend?” Kai asked, curiously.

“On Saturday, I plan to visit my family, but only for a few hours before returning to my room,” Xiumin replied. He smiled slightly as he bit into the dumpling he got. They were serving dumplings for dinner and he couldn’t help but get some.

His cheeks puffed out slightly, as he ate more. It caused a few of them to coo or chuckle softly, thinking that the elder looked like a little chipmunk.

“Oh, we should have a sleepover on Saturday night! So, that we can get to know Xiumin-hyung more,” Baekhyun suggested, as he grinned at the older male.

A few murmured in agreements, but Chen pointed out, “Where should we have the sleepover?”

It was hard to decide since they all had a roommate, but then Baekhyun interjected, “Xiumin-hyung has no roommate.”

This caught the elder male’s attention, as he was in the middle of stuffing his mouth with more dumpling when Baekhyun said his name. He continued to chew, before swallowing the dumpling. “Sure, I’m fine with that. We should also bring a few snacks and drinks. Although, you guys might need to bring your own pillow and blankets,” he replied, before going back to eating.

The group conversed a little more, before Xiumin decided to excuse himself. He bid good-night to the guys, before heading back to his room. He brushed his teeth and got ready for bed.

As, he laid under the covers and stared at the darkness in the room, one thought crossed his mind, as a content smile formed on his face.

_I really had a fun day today._


	4. Chapter 3: The Sleepover Pt. 1

The first week went well, Xiumin quickly making friends with a lot of people. His caring and friendly personality attracted many people to him. Although, unknown to him, there were different groups at school and each group would often get into arguments with other groups. However, Xiumin hasn’t seen any fights between the groups since his presence has caused many people to tolerate each other.

Not only that, but since he spends majority of his time with the student council, no one wants to mess with him. After all, no one messes with EXO.

Now, it’s Saturday and Xiumin had just left the school. He wanted to surprise his family, so he bought his own train ticket. At first, he was planning to use a cab, but decided against it.

Meanwhile, Xiumin’s eleven new friends was having a meeting in the student council room. The short male unaware that the meeting was about him.

“There’s nothing strange about Xiumin-hyung, except him entering this late in the Institute,” Baekhyun said, as he played with the card in his hand.

Kai nodded his head and added, “There doesn’t seem to be any specific qualities about him that’s different than everyone else.”

Uncertainty spread around the room, as no one was able to find out what made Xiumin different than everyone else.

“There’s nothing strange from his file. In fact, everything about him seems normal,” Suho stated, as he looked through Xiumin’s file. Chanyeol had taken it from the principal’s office when some of them were distracting Mr. Kim.

“Do you think it’s possible that he’s- “Chanyeol began, but was cut off by LuHan, “No. We shouldn’t make any assumptions.”

“We should just observe him. If we notice anything out of the ordinary, then we’ll act,” Kris suggested.

Tao frowned, an upset look on his face. He couldn’t help, but feel that they should be careful when handling with Xiumin. He felt that Xiumin was the last puzzle they needed, the one that will complete them. He glanced at Sehun to see that the other was looking back at him. An understanding came across between them, as the two already knew what the other was thinking and feeling about.

“It will be a good opportunity to use the sleepover to get him to open up to us,” D.O. suddenly interjected.

After a few more proposals and interjections, the group decided that Kris’s suggestion was the safe way to go. Soon, the eleven were talking about what to bring for the sleepover.

“LuHan, D.O., Kris, and Tao will get the snacks and drinks. Baekhyun, Chanyeol, Lay, and Kai will get the games. The rest of us will get the blankets and pillows,” Suho said, as everyone started to getting up.

A few hours later, everyone was in Xiumin’s room, placing the supplies in certain areas.

“It’s so roomy in here,” Tao said, as he placed the snacks on a small table.

Xiumin smiled and made a small noise of agreement. He had arrived two hours ago, to clean up the place a little. He had moved stuff around, so that there was more room.

A few minutes later, the group was sitting on the ground in a circle. Snacks had already been passed around and everyone had some sort of drink next to them.

They decided to play some board games. From monopoly to apples to apples to twister. About three hours passed, before they were just passing soju with each other. Some of them were in their own conversations or just joking around with each other.

Xiumin was softly smiling down at his glass of water. He had told the others that he doesn’t drink and after continuous declining of the drink, they just left him be.

“Hey, a penny for your thought?” LuHan said, as he bumped shoulders with the male.

“Huh?” Xiumin blinked at the deer-faced male, before understanding the question given to him. “Oh.. I’m.. I’m just happy, that’s all,” he replied, smiling softly.

Suddenly, an arm draped around the puffy-cheeked male’s arms. “You make it sound like it’s your first time being happy,” Lay drawled, as he cuddled closer to the male. Light pink dusted his cheeks; however, he wasn’t fully drunk.

Xiumin shrugged his shoulders and looked down at his glass. “I guess.”

Baekhyun snorted, hearing their conversation. “C’mon, Xiumin. It isn’t like this is your first sleep over or first friends,” he joked.

However, Xiumin stayed silent and just took a sip from his glass. He didn’t agree or disagree, causing the room to become completely silent.

“Xiumin?” LuHan said softly, as a small frowned appeared on his face.

The pale male sighed, as he held the glass in his lap. He didn’t want to look up at their faces because he feared what their expressions were.

“I wasn’t really a well-liked child and if I did have friends, they only stayed for a short time. Well, except hyung, but I lost contact with him when I was about nine,” he explain nonchalantly. It was as if it was no big problem for him.

“You must’ve been lonely,” Chen whispered, a sad look gazed in his eyes.

Just at the tone of the male’s tone made Xiumin clench the glass of water. He hated it when people pitied or looked down at him. It made him remember things he wanted to forget. Unnoticed by him, the more observant of the group noticed him clenching his glass of water.

“Minseok?” Suho uttered softly, as if talking to a scared, cornered animal.

Xiumin’s head snapped up and a harsh glare was on his face. “DO. NOT. PITY. ME!” He yelled out, as he clenched the glass tighter.

“ESPECIALLY, DO. NOT. UNDERESTIMATE. ME.” The moment he finished those words, the glass in his hand broke into pieces. Some of the glass entered his skin, while the others fell onto his lap and on the floor.

Everyone was shocked at the usually quiet male’s outburst; none of them every expecting this kind of reaction from me.

Xiumin was breathing heavily, before he snapped out of his short outburst. He blinked down at his bleeding hands, before realizing what had just happened. He didn’t mean to explode in front of them, nor did he mean to break the glass.

He began to pick up the glass pieces carefully, while avoiding the other’s looks. He didn’t want to see what their reactions were, afraid that they might not want to be friends with him anymore.

Xiumin hissed softly, when a particularly large piece of glass added another cut to his hand. This snapped Kai, who was surprisingly the first, to immediately head towards the male.

“Careful, hyung,” the dancer said, worry in his tone, as he carefully held the male’s bleeding hand.

Suho frowned, before heading to his backpack. He had brought a small first aid kit with him in case of emergency. He opened his bag and drug through his vitamin pills, before finding the kit.

Meanwhile, Kai began to clean up the mess, while D.O. inspected Xiumin’s hand carefully. LuHan went to get Xiumin new clothes, Lay and Chanyeol went to get supplies to help with Kai, and the other’s were watching Xiumin in worry.

“Sorry..” Xiumin muttered, as he looked down dejectedly.

Kris placed a hand on Xiumin’s shoulder comfortingly. “Don’t be.”

Suho and D.O. began to carefully clean up Xiumin’s hand, while the short owl-eyed male lectured the other short male to be more careful.

Once they were done, LuHan handed Xiumin another set of clothes. The short male nodded in thanks and went into the bathroom to change.

The moment the door locked, the short male looked at himself in the mirror. Empty eyes stared back, a reflection that caused the male to sadden.

“Why? Why did I do that?” He thought, as he glared down at his hands. He turned on the faucet, planning to wash his face with his not bandaged hand.

“ ** _Isn’t it obvious?_** ” A taunting voice appeared, causing Xiumin to immediately look back at the mirror.

A sinister smirked appeared on the face of an empty soul, as more taunting words appeared.

“ ** _After all, why shouldn’t they pity you? A low-life? The worst of the worst?_** ”

Xiumin clenched the edges of the sink, glaring at the smirking male. “Shut up, that’s not true” He muttered angrily, not wanting the others to hear.

A frightening laugh echoed around the bathroom, “ _ **Why don’t you just give in? They’ll find out sooner or later. It’ll only be a matter of time.**_ ”

“Shut up!” He said louder, as Xiumin grabbed his head and clenched his eyes shut.

“ _ **Just let it go. Accept your destiny. Your fate. Stop running away, prince.**_ ”

The words seemed to be whispered into his ear, causing Xiumin to gasp and look up at the mirror. “Do not call me that! And I will make my own destiny!” He said, determinedly, as he glared at the reflection.

A chuckle resounded around the bathroom and the figure inside the mirror began to cripple in little waves. “ _ **Even if you do. You can never escape who you really are,**_ ” the figure said, before the reflection returned back to the real Xiumin.

A sudden knock on the bathroom door caused Xiumin to gasp softly. “Hyung?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Hello, Everyone! Sorry for the lateness. My schoolwork is a lot since I attend high school, while taking online college classes, and attending a medical school. I've also been busy with personal problems that have been affecting my family and my school. I'll be graduating this year and so far, my senior year hasn't been good. Anyway, until mid february my updates will be slow, well until everything is settled down. The next story will be sleepover part 2.


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